PreFall 2026: Plaid is the key pattern for the season

An early read on Pre-Fall 2026 signals the strong presence of plaids and checks, positioning them once again as key patterns for the season.

Pre-Fall product begins landing in stores as early as May and June, and plaid’s versatility across materials makes it a natural fit for this delivery. In fact, it remains one of the strongest—and most reliable—year-round patterns in the market.

The “See now, buy now” concept has mostly fallen out of favor since Covid, but Seán McGirr made the decision to show the McQueen Resort 2026 Collection at the same time as it became available for purchase. The designer skillfully employed the House’s signature tartan, blending precise tailoring with fluid draping.

Etro’s creative director, Marco De Vincenzo, began his Pre-Fall 2026 look book with wide-leg, pleated tartan wool pants paired with a striped shirt and brocade corset — a layered look that set the tone for the whole collection.

He continued the theme with a tartan pleated-skirt suit, reinforcing that Dark Academia will remain a key direction for next Fall. A cropped jacket and a knee-length plaid wool coat rounded out the story, bringing a distinctly Bohemian-Country mood to the lineup.

True to her reputation for immaculate British tailoring, Stella McCartney presented a double-breasted glen plaid coat with a shawl collar, paired with a knee-length skirt—both cut in the same polished fabric.

Elsewhere in the collection, she played with contrast by combining the glen plaid with a brushed cotton rendered in a different check, giving the pattern story added depth.

At Armarium, creative director Giorgia Gabriele brought a softer, more feminine angle to the trend for Pre-Fall 2026. She introduced a series of muted-tone wool checks that lent a gentle structure to her silhouettes, resulting in understated, wearable pieces with a refined finish.

Glenn Martens delivered a wide spectrum of checked and plaid fabrics for Diesel, proving just how versatile these patterns can be. On one end, he sent out a sharp wool-gabardine coat topped with a dramatic, nubby wool collar; on the other, a grunge-leaning layered dress with a crinkled, lived-in finish.

At Baum und Pferdgarten, Rikke Baumgarten and Helle Hestehave gave everyday staples a fresh lift through plaid. A standout was their cropped checked blazer with a bow fastening, styled over a sporty polo and paired with engineer-striped jeans. They also introduced a pinstripe denim skirt that buttoned asymmetrically along one side, adding subtle novelty to a classic shape.

For his second Chanel collection, Matthieu Blazy staged the show in a disused subway station on New York’s Bowery—a setting that underscored the lineup’s urban energy. Among the 80 looks, checks and plaids appeared throughout, from a double-breasted jacket layered over a playful “Superman” sweater to Madras-inspired mixed-check shirt-and-skirt pairings.

And in Look 43, what appeared to be an oversized plaid flannel shirt revealed itself to be crafted entirely in bouclé—a signature Blazy twist. Plaid and checks adapt endlessly to season, fabric, culture, and trend without losing their identity. Look for these versatile patterns to trend throughout 2026.